Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Lori Andrews and Ethics and the Double Helix: April 1, 2019, Wishnick Hall Room 113


Please join QED: The Ethical Debaters for a fantastic talk by Lori Andrews titled Ethics and the Double Helix on April 1, 2019, 12:45-1:45 in Wishnick Hall, Room 113

Genetic technologies make it possible to assess and even alter a person’s genome, raising a wealth of ethical questions.  Should insurers be able to deny coverage to a healthy person whose genome indicates he or she will be at a higher risk of cancer later in life?  Should police be able to use ancestry DNA databases to find suspected criminals?  Should parents be able to edit their embryo’s genome, possibly added traits from other species, such as to give their future child the running speed of a cheetah?  What are our responsibilities as scientists, ethicists, and members of the public in the design of the next generation?

Lori Andrews is a University Distinguished Professor of Law at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law and Director of IIT’s Institute for Science, Law and Technology. She’s written 14 books, including three mysteries involving a female geneticist. Her latest non-fiction book is I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did: Social Networks and the Death of Privacy.  She chaired the federal advisory committee to the Human Genome Project, advised the Chicago Historical Society on the ethics of testing Abe Lincoln’s DNA, and counseled the science ministers of twelve countries on the issues of embryo stem cells, gene patents, and DNA banking. Lori’s path-breaking litigation about technologies caused the National Law Journal to list her as one of the “100 Most Influential Lawyers in America.” The American Bar Association Journal describes Lori as “a lawyer with a literary bent who has the scientific chops to rival any CSI investigator.”  She received her B.A. summa cum laude from Yale College and her J.D. from Yale Law School.

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Invited Speaker: Responsible Research Practices, April 5, 2019




The Office of Research Compliance, in partnership with the Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions, has announced that it will offer a lecture titled “Responsible Publication Practices” on Friday, April 5 from 2–4 p.m. A brief abstract of the lecture is included below. The lecture is a part of Illinois Institute of Technology’s Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Policy, and will feature a presentation by Associate Professor Emily E. Anderson, Neiswanger Institute for Bioethics & Healthcare Leadership, Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago. Anderson earned a Ph.D. in health care ethics from Saint Louis University and an M.P.H. in community health sciences (health education/health promotion) from the University of Illinois at Chicago. The event will take place at Wishnick Hall, Room 113, and will include light refreshments.
Abstract: “Publication of your scientific work is not just necessary for career advancement, it is a professional ethical obligation. While writing and submitting a paper for publication may seem straightforward, there are many challenges, and potential missteps that may ultimately result in research misconduct. This session will review best practices for determining authorship, citing references appropriately, avoiding plagiarism, and navigating the process of selecting a journal and peer review process.”
The RCR is a required program for all sponsored researchers. Federal regulations require researchers supported by a funding agency to complete RCR training. In order to ensure that RCR requirements have been fulfilled, all Illinois Tech-sponsored projects, regardless of funding source, must follow the university policy.
Illinois Tech’s RCR policy comprises three distinct parts: (1) completing one RCR training course through the CITI Program, (2) attending at least one in-person RCR lecture/workshop, and (3) participating in face-to-face RCR instruction led by the faculty investigator for the project.
Ongoing lectures and workshops covering topics in ethical research with a focus on RCR themes will be offered. All researchers on an Illinois Tech-sponsored project must attend at least one lecture or workshop. Check the Office of Research Compliance website for upcoming lectures and workshops.